One of the better car buying decisions I made was when I bought a used 1995 Honda Odyssey. I've had it for about two years now, and it has been cheap and very reliable. This is actually an Accord based van, so it has a 4 cylinder.

Fuel mileage ratings are 18/22, which is just OK for its time, but you can still find clean 1st Gen Odysseys (1995-1998) for under $4,000 that will probably run forever. An interesting note about the 1st Gen Odyssey is that while Honda kept making this smaller, 4 cylinder based van for the rest of the world, North America got the bigger gas guzzling v-6 model starting in 1999.

The van seats 7, has fold down rear seats, and has plenty of cargo space. If I were to get another one, I would probably get a 1996-1998 model with OBD-II diagnostics, so that I could hook up my ScanGauge II to track fuel mileage. If you are looking for a reliable, cheap, no-frills, SUV alternative, consider an Odyssey 1st Gen.

According to a blog post at the Wall Street Journal here, the U.S. Postal Service, between 1999 and 2005, purchased about 30,000 flex-fuel Ford Explorers in order to satisfy a 1992 mandate that a certain percentage of government vehicles be capable of running on alternative fuels.

The problem was that there was only limited availability of E85, so most of the vehicles were run on regular gasoline, but got 29% fewer miles per gallon than the vehicles they replaced.

Woops, nothing "Green" about that. Wouldn't it be cool to see Walt the Postman driving a Honda Fit, or maybe a Ford Escape hybrid? Either would've been a way better choice.

I came across a great article at Time.com called 10 Things You can Like About $4 Gas. The article suggests that high gas prices can reduce insurance costs, pollution, traffic deaths, and even promote healthier lifestyles. Number 5, More Frugality, touches on car stuff, and even talks about hyper-miling.

Anyway, the article got me thinking about how carpooling can be an excellent way to turn a gas sucking SUV into a "commuter bus" for coworkers. Even 2 or 3 people sharing a ride can greatly increase the miles per gallon per person, and by sharing the fuel costs, the riders will save money as well.

Are we reaching the tipping point where people who might have never considered ride sharing in the past, might now participate as a way to cut back on costs? I think so.

Here are some basic proven tips to increase fuel economy. Keep in mind that there usually isn’t one big change that will magically double your mileage. The key to success for me was to make many small changes that had a cumulative effect.

• Tire pressure- Some people call this a myth, but there is no myth. Higher pressure equals less rolling resistance, which means better fuel economy. At the very least you should maintain the manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure. Check your tire pressure at least every 30 days. Many people have increased their tire pressure beyond the recommended inflation pressure and seen even greater increases in fuel economy, but I wouldn’t recommend this, unless you understand the trade offs and potential safety risks in doing so, mainly less traction. I increased my tire pressure to 35 psi, which is slightly above the recommended pressure, but still well below the max sidewall pressure, and was able to see a measurable increase in mileage. There is an excellent site called www.cleanmpg.com that has some articles and discussion around the risks and benefits of higher than normal tire pressures.

• Low rolling resistance tires - Buy tires with lower rolling resistance. Consumer Reports.org includes tire rolling resistance testing in their tire test, and they claim it can save 1-2 mpg. Sounds reasonable to me. It probably doesn’t make financial sense to run out and buy them now, but consider rolling resistance when your car is ready for tires.

• Oxygen (O2) sensors – Most fuel economy guides overlook this one, but a faulty oxygen sensor can have a significant impact on fuel economy. O2 sensors diminish with age. Older sensors become sluggish and their voltage drops, causing the sensor to show leaner that it actually is. This will make your car run richer, and use more fuel.

• Synthetic oil - I recommend switching to synthetic motor oil, and using the lightest grade recommended by your vehicle manufacturer, which is often 5w-30. Just do me a favor, don’t ask me to justify the cost. I’m not sure the minimal increases in fuel mileage justify the added cost of the oil, but there are additional benefits, such as better engine protection, longer oil change durations, and longer engine life. WWW.cleanmpg.com has some discussions around using lower than recommended viscosity for additional fuel efficiency.

• Get rid of the roof rack. It reduces wind resistance and some estimates put savings at 1 or 2 mpg. If you are carrying around one of those giant Thule luggage carriers, then your savings will be substantially higher.

• If you have 4 wheel drive, turn it off. Most cars should see better fuel economy in 2 wheel drive mode. Better yet, buy the 2 wheel drive model next time, which is less expensive to buy, maintain, and operate.

• Consider getting a manual transmission on your next car. They are usually more efficient, and they give the driver more flexibility to maximize fuel saving techniques while driving.

My last article mentioned how AAA approved shops are a great way to find a competent, honest auto repair facility. I wanted to share with others why I feel this way, and illustrate a true story involving AAA and how they resolved a repair issue with a customer's car. Keep in mind that I have no ties at all to AAA, other than being a member.

The requirements to become a AAA approved auto repair shop are pretty stringent. A shop needs to have ASE certified techs in each area of repair. The shop is inspected for the proper equipment and facilities, including cleanliness. Surveys are done of past customers to determine satisfaction. If you do a search for approved shops at AAA.com, you will probably not find that many in your area. I believe this is because there just aren't that many shops able or willing to raise the quality of their business to the level required for AAA approval. If you have a local AAA approved shop near you, I recommend that you at least check it out, and apply my criteria mentioned in my prior blog. I bet you will find that the shop passes all of my tests.

The best part of the AAA deal, in my opinion, is that should anything ever turn ugly, you can go to AAA and they will mediate for you. They have a lot of leverage against their approved shops, and can make things right quickly. That is assuming you are being reasonable, of course. It also assumes you are a AAA member. Keep in mind though, that even if you aren't a AAA member, you can still get the list of AAA approved shops and check them out. You just aren't going to get AAA to go to bat for you if there is a problem.

OK, so here is the story that illustrates my point. Now keep in mind that the shop in question was not a AAA approved auto repair facility, but was a AAA approved towing facility used by AAA. A customer was driving a 1986 Nissan 300ZX. The car dies in Newark, NJ, so he calls AAA for a tow. The tow truck tows the car back to its own shop in Elizabeth, NJ. They diagnose the problem as a bad fuel pump. Unfortunately, the new fuel pump quickly broke, and the customer got a run around from the shop, and got charged for hundreds of dollars worth of additional repairs all in an effort to solve the mysterious fuel pump issue.

Eventually, the customer comes in to my employer's shop with the Nissan and explains the situation. Sure enough, the car has yet another bad fuel pump, so we install a new fuel pump and check fuel pressure. We quickly determined that the fuel pressure regulator was stuck closed, forcing the pump to run at max resistance, which will quickly destroy the fuel pump. We ordered up a $36.00 regulator and the problem was solved.

The AAA towing shop refused to offer the customer a refund. The customer presented the case to AAA, and shortly thereafter received a check from the AAA shop for a full refund. Without AAA's leverage here, the customer would have had to go to small claims court to get any type of refund at all.